The present invention relates generally to foldable vehicles and, more particularly, to vehicles that are selectively reconfigurable between a generally or substantially flat or “folded” configuration for storage or transportation purposes, for example, and an erect or “open” or “unfolded” configuration for movement on or across a ground surface or other operation.
Conventional toy vehicles (i.e., cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles) are well known. Conventional toy vehicles can be rather large and have a generally irregular shape. The size and shape of conventional toy vehicles results in relatively large packaging or inefficient use of space during travel or transportation of these vehicles by a user, distributor or manufacturer. Relatively small conventional toy vehicles, such as those sold under the name Micro Machines® by Hasbro®, do not necessarily require relatively large packaging. However, these smaller toy vehicles can still occupy an unnecessary amount of space due to their generally irregular or eccentric shape, especially when kept as part of a collection of such vehicles.
One prior art toy vehicle that attempts to overcome the above-identified deficiencies is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,128 (Bala). Specifically, Bala discloses a collapsible toy car 10 having a front top portion 12 pivotally attached to a rear top portion 14 by a hinge 20. Remote ends of the front top portion 12 and the rear top portion 14 define opposing front and rear ends of the toy car 10. Two “side portions” 16, 18 are each pivotally hinged to the front and rear top portions 12, 14 along a separate lateral side of the front top portion 12 and rear top portion 14, so as to pivot about an axis that extends generally parallel to and along one of the lateral sides between the ends. The two side portions 16, 18 define opposing right and left lateral sides of a “body” of the toy car 10 that extend between the front and rear ends. Two wheels 22 are attached to each side portion 16. Attachment means 30, which includes two spaced-apart torsion springs 72, exert rotational forces 32 (FIG. 3) on an interior surface of each side portion 16, 18 or on inside and outside panels 60, 66 (i.e., a planar frame) that form part of the side portions 16, 18. Thus, the side portions 16, 18 are pivotably in a range of approximately ninety degrees between a first position (FIG. 2b) in which the side portions 16, 18 extend in plane generally parallel to a central horizontal longitudinal plane defined by the top portions 12, 14, and a second position (FIG. 3) in which the side portions 16, 18 extend in a plane generally perpendicular to the central horizontal longitudinal plane defined by the top portions 12, 14.
Specifically, the two torsion springs 72 exert a continuous rotational force on a portion of each side portion 16, 18 tending to position the side portions 16, 18 in a vertical or operational configuration (FIG. 1). When a force is applied to the top portion 12, 14 of the car 10, the side portions 16, 18 rotate outwardly against the rotational force exerted by the two torsion springs 72. In this configuration, the toy vehicle 20 is collapsed and may be inserted into a storage case 30 for transporting or storing the toy car 10 (FIGS. 2 and 5). Once the above-identified force is removed, the rotational force exerted by the torsion springs 72 returns the side portions 16, 18 to their erect, operational configuration (FIGS. 1 and 6). The Bala toy car 10 is not self-propelled or drivable by a remote controller. Further, the Bala toy car 10 includes an exterior frame (top portion 12, 14 and side portions 16, 18) having a plurality of parts that are all movably attached. As a result, the Bala toy car 10 can be awkward to collapse and configure to return to the operational configuration.
Therefore, it would be desirable to create a vehicle that overcomes the above-identified deficiencies. Specifically, it would be desirable to create a toy vehicle that is easily selectively reconfigurable between a “folded” or generally, preferably essentially flat configuration for storage and transportation purposes, for example, and an “unfolded” or “open” or erect configuration for operation. Further, it would be desirable to create such a reconfigurable toy vehicle that includes a propulsion system that allows a user to propel and maneuver the toy vehicle.